Walking into trouble
Dementia, for example, can lead to problems with walking. Some patients walk very slowly, as if their feet are glued to the floor. This may be a sign that they have 'normal pressure hydrocephalus', which accounts for six per cent of dementias - an important diagnosis because the condition can be reversed by lumbar puncture.
Sometimes unusual gaits have no obvious physical cause - so called psychogenic gait disorders. These may affect elderly people who are afraid of falling, but are also seen in some young people.
The Greek term astasia-abasia, introduced by Paul Blocq in the 19th century and literally meaning an inability to stand and to walk, is sometimes used to describe such cases. The syndrome is classified as a conversion disorder, where psychological stresses are 'converted' into physical symptoms.
Image: Thermogram-like image of a man walking; Wellcome Library, London